horn

hi people
i have got a mk1 golf convertable 1985 black special 1.8 gti that i brought,it needed work doing on it before i put it through the mot.i have replaced all brakes ( drums shoes wheel bearings hand brake cables discs pads callipers and brake pipes ).suspension (new adjustable coil overs on each corner). and steering (steering rack track rods both sides new wishbones)I am ready for mot but the horn does not work on the steering wheel buttons.the horn works if i put it directly on to the battery, i have checked the fuses and they seem ok. is there a relay for it? if so where is it? i think it used to work when i tried it when i first brought the car. i want to keep it original ie not drilling holes in the dash and putting in a button for the horn. i wanted to mot it this week. anybody got any ideas.
cheers Pete

yeah disconnect the dual horns clean-up the bolt and the bit where it touches the chassis ( as this is the ground for them) connect the lot backup with the use of some contact spray problem solved

hi right i have cleaned it up and nothing still, i have taken the horn of and even if i hold it on the earth side of the battery still nothing. i have a constant live to the horn so it must be an earth problem. what does the horn buttons on the stearing wheel do. do they make the earth?
cheers Pete

jup that's the earth

I had the same problem… take 2 wires put one on the + and the other on the - on the battery then connect it up  to the horns if they work you know it is the ground…
in my case the bit in the car was fine …

the cable on the horns goes into a connector clean that out 2.. it should work after that..

if not the last one to look at is the relay which is the second one on the far right in the fusebox counting from the bottom up

if it is corroded you can try cleaning it (I had a spare so I exchanged it)

right so far i have got live to the horn and i also have live returning from the horn. i have removed each relay ( by the fuse box ) and whilst the relay is out i have checked and there is still live to the horn. i am guessing that none of these are the relays for the horn ( if it has a relay) the last thing for me to check is the steering wheel end. i have put a tester on the 2 wires in the centre of the steering wheel and there is no power to them. i dont know if there is meant to be power there or not. i have also tried my mates sirocco wheel and the horn still not working. the last thing i want to do is to take the dash out to start chasing wires. should i have live to either the black or the brown wires in the centre of the steering wheel?

You will hear the relay click.
There is a brown wire at the bottom of the column inside the engine bay, near steering box, it's a short one, make sure that's okay and got continuity.
Also try disconnecting one of the dual horns and see if it will work then.
The horn pad once pressed energisers the the relay, so you need to take the wheel off and have a check
Of the copper tab that is riveted to the stalk assembly, this contacts the horn ring underneath.
Sometimes these tabs snap off or are bent out of shape, or the horn ring dirty. Clean all the relay contacts too and on the fuse box too.
If it works when disconnecting one horn, then you will need to change the wiring ad the old wires increase the resistance and there is not enough power to drive both horns.

The horn relay is on the fusebox, just cannot remember what number it is, there is a fusebox sticky guide in the electrical section. Have a look there.

thanks for the help, i remember that little brown wire when i done my steering rack, it would not screw into the new rack propperly i had to put a few washers under it to get it tight, i am guessing that is the earth for the horn is that correct? the new rack was not drilled as deep as the old one and the screw would not tighten into it, so i packed it out with a couple of small steel washers. i think if memory serves me right it was attached to the bulkhead just above it i will put it on the ramp tomorrow and check it.
Pete

It's pretty much always that earth on the column. The horn draws alot of current and the earth wire at the best of times is crap. Mine works for a few weeks and then goes again and it's always this.. don't know if anyone has found a solution to this ever occuring problem.

i fitted power steering and there no where on the toyota rack to put the brown wire onto, i just unplugged one of the horns and unplugged the relay (only cars fitted with dual horns had a relay) then bridged the two pins where the relay should be and bobs you uncle, doesnt require as much current and works fine, just sounds like somethink the kids down the road would have on there scooters lol ..

all gti's have dual horns

for the toyota rack, you could get a large ring terminal and put it under one of the mounting nuts, or run an earth to the chassis from the ign lock housing the bolt that holds it to the column would do

removing the relay wont kill the live feed, thats direct from the fusebox. the relay is on the earth side, which is a bit odd but it works somehow
see the fusebox sticky, relay locations are all covered there

that is how all mk1/2/3 golfs are switched from all the relays allways on the earth with the mk4 golf they changed to positive switching…..

that said follow my tips and the lot should work